Method and apparatus for cooling produce by alternate dipping and draining



Nbv. 23, 1948. J McMlCHAEL 2,454,705

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRODUCE BY ALTERNATE DIPPING AND DRAINING Filed Nov. 9, 1944 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jab FrJMclllidiafll/ onion.

1948- F. J. M MICHAEL 2,454,705

, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRODUCE BY ALTERNATE DIPPING AND DRAINING 4 Filed Nov. 9, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y II I I II I IIIIII IIIII III 1 'II'IHI'IHl-H R g a o I I I o I N.

Patented Nov. 23, 1948 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRODUCE BY ALTERNATE DIPPING AND DRAINING Floyd J. McMlchael, Orlando, Fla.

Application November 9, 1944, Serial No. 562,636

1 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus forprocessing produce, being a variation of the method and apparatus shown in my co-pending application, filed October 2, 1944, Serial No. 556,843. I In accordance with the disclosure in my copending application mentioned, packages of produce are fed to a conveyor which functions to successively raise and lower the packages for repeatedly dipping the packages into a refrigerant and intermediately draining said packages, the object being to cause the refrigerant to repetitiously flow into and out of the packages so that the volume of liquid more or less trapped by the produce in the central portion of each package and thus, for such reason, subjected to a pronounced warming by the produce, will be positively replaced many times by fresh, cold refrigerant, to the end that the produce at the central portion of the package will be chilled with equal efliciency and effectiveness as the outer courses of produce of the package with resultant thorough in Figure l and showing the refrigerating tank at a feed conveyor, indicated as a whole at in, and

and uniform chilling of the produce throughout the package.

An object of the present invention is to accomplish the same ends, as foregoing, but instead of raising and lowering the packages, the refrigerant is raised and lowered to cause the repeated dipping and draining of the packages.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus wherein a dipping and draining conveyor will carry the packages of produce forwardly at a uniformlevel, and wherein, as the packages progress, the refrigerant will be raised and lowered to repeatedly dip and drain the packages.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a method and apparatus wherein a refrigerating tank will be employed, and wherein the tank will be continuously moved in a circular path to effect the dipping and draining of the packages.

Anda still further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus wherein the packages of produce will be fed to the dipping and draining conveyor to be automatically picked up thereby and carried forwardly to be subjected to the dipping and draining operations, when the packages will be automatically released and carried off.

Other and incidental objects of the invention wili a'ppear during the course of the following description, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the dipping and draining conveyor and associated parts.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure seen a discharge conveyor, indicated as a whole at H, these conveyors corresponding to like feed and discharge conveyors of my prior application previously identified. As best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings, the conveyor I0 is provided at its forward end with, a drive shaft l2 for the belt i3 of said conveyor, and fixed to the belt at regularly spaced intervals are pairs of lugs M. The construction of the conveyor is otherwise unimportant. The conveyor ll may be conventional and the belt l5 thereof is driven by a suitable motor In the present instance, I have shown a pit I! at the forward ends of the conveyors Ill and H, and this pit is provided with suitable walls I8. However, it is to be understood that the use of the pit is entirely optional as the structure may be easily designed to eliminate the pit. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the pit is provided with a shelf l8.

Mounted within the pit II are bearing brackets 20 upon each pair of which is journaled a crossshaft 2|, and fixed to said shafts medially thereof are worm gears 22. In the present instance, I have shown the use of four of the cross-shafts 2| but, of course, the exact number employed may be varied. Mounted upon the shelf i9 01' the pit I1 is a bearing bracket 23 aligning with which are bearing brackets 24 in the pit, and journaled by said brackets is a worm shaft 25 having worms 26 thereon to engage the gears 22. At the forward end of the shaft 25 is a beveled gear 21.

Fixed to the cross-shafts 2| near their outer ends are pairs of eccentrics 28 having peripheral flanges 29, and carried by said eccentrics is an oblong refrigerating tank 30. The tank 30 may be of metal or other suitable material, and mounted upon the bottom wall of the tank are pairs of rollers 3| to coact with the eccentrics 28. As best'seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the rollers of each pair are disposed to straddle a coacting one of the eccentrics to ride on the periphery thereof between the flanges 29. The tank 3 i 30 will thus be supported to travel in a circular path as the eccentrics revolve in response to rotation of the shaft 25, while the flanges 29 of the eccentrics will coact with the rollers 3| for limiting the tank against lateral displacement.

The tank 30 is adapted to contain a refrigerant 32 supplied to the tank in any suitable manner as by a flexible pipe 33. Preferably, water is used to provide the refrigerating liquid.

Disposed within the tank 30 more or less close to the side walls thereof and parallel to said walls are partitions 34 defining channels 35. At corresponding ends thereof the partitions are notched, as seen in Figure 1, to provide inlets 36 for said channels while the opposite ends of the partitions terminate short of theadjacent end wall of the tank to provide outlets 31 for said channels, and suitably mounted upon the tank adjacent the inlets 3B are appropriate motordriven agitators 38. These agitators include suitable blades 39 for circulating the refrigerant 32 through the channels 35, and connected with the tank 30 are circuit wires 40 for supplying the motors of said agitators with current.

Fixed to the side walls of the tank 30 within the channels 35, as best seen in Figure of the drawings, are racks 4i, and mounted upon said racks are refrigerating coils 42 extending substantially throughout the length of the channels. Flexible pipes 43 are connected with the coils and these pipes are adapted to accommodate the circular travel of the tank so that a suitable re-' the coils by an appropriate compressor, not shown. However, it should be noted that the compressor will be of a capacity to chill the coils, as desired, so that when the agitators 8B are in operation, the refrigerant 32 will be circulated over the coils and thus maintained at the desired low temperature.

Associated with the tank 30 is a clipping and draining conveyor, indicated as a whole at M. This conveyor includes a frame 45 which is erected to extend over the tank as well as over the forward end portions of the conveyors in and ii, the frame comprising rows of posts 46 upstanding at opposite sides of the pit l1. Connecting the upper ends of the posts are stringers 41, and extending between the posts are cross bars 48. Suspended from said cross bars is a chain track 49 which, as best brought out in Figure l of the drawings, is provided with straight, parallel side portions connected by arcuate end portions 50, and supporting the track are hangers 5i. As will be observed, the track is preferably I-shapedin cross section.

Mounted at the ends of the frame 45 centrally of the arcuate end portions 50 of the track 49 are vertical shafts 52 and 53 respectively, the former of which provides a. drive shaft, and secured to the shaft 52 is a drive sprocket- 54 while to the shaft 53 is fixed an idler sprocket 55. Trained about said sprockets is a drive chain 56. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the chain includes a number of spaced carrier links 51 having yokes 58 which straddle the track 49, and mounted on said yokes are rollers 59 which engage the bottom flange of the track to travel thereon. Thus, the chain 56 will be supported by the track, and connected to the links 51 is a number of package carriers, indicated as a whole at 60.

The carriers 60 each includes an angle plate 6| which is detachably fixed to one of the links 57,-

and projecting from said plate is a stud 82 upon frigerating medium may be circulated through i 66 having bottom plates 61 to engage beneath the ends of a package, and normally holding the jaws open is a spring 58. Pivotally connected with the upper ends of the jaws 8B are coacting toggle bars 89, the inner ends of which are adapted to gravitate downwardly as the jaws are closed for locking the jaws in closed position. Thus, when inward pressure is exerted on the lower ends of the jaws to'swing the jaws toward each other about the ends oi a package, the toggle bars will serve to automatically lock the jaws closed in engagement with the package. The package may then be picked up and carried by the holder. The outer ends of the toggle bars 69 project laterally beyond the head 65 and, as will be perceived, downward pressure upon said ends of the bars will serve to swing the inner ends thereof upwardly and release the jaws 56, when the spring 68 will swing the jaws to open position and release the package.

Mounted upon the forward end portion of the frame 45 is a motor 10 with which is associated a gear box H containing conventional reduction gears, and extending through the box is a shaft 12 which will, of course, be driven by the motor at a speed slower than the drive shaft of the motor. Mounted upon the adjacent end of the shaft 12 is a gear "meshing with a gear 14 on the upper end of the sprocket shaft 52. Thus, the chain 56 will be drivenby the sprocket 54.

Fixed to the forward end of the shaft 12 is a gear 15 meshing with a gear 18 upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 11, and fixed to the shaft TI, as best seen in Figure 4 of'the drawings, is a gear 13 meshing with agear 13 on the shaft l2 of the conveyor Ill. The travel of the belt if of said conveyor will thus be synchronized with the movement of the drive chain 58 of the dipping and draining conveyor 44. Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 11 is a gear meshing with the gear 21 on the shaft 25 of the previously described mechanism for raising and lowering the tank 30. Thus, the movement of the tank will be synchronized with the movement of the chain 56 and belt l3.

As is well known, vegetables and other produce are packaged in boxes, crates, bags, and the like and, accordingly, the term package" as used herein shall be constructed to cover any such container. In the drawings, I have typically shown the packages at 8 I.

In practice, the packages 8| are manually placed upon the conveyor l0 each in front of and abutting a pair of the lugs It so that the packages will be carried forwardly in definite and uniform spaced relation and, as set forth in my prior application above noted, I provide means for automatically engaging the package holders 64 with the packages as well as means for releasing the holders from said packages. Both of said means are duplicated herein and the operation thereof is the same as described in my prior applicationmentioned, as will now be outlined.

Upstanding at opposite sides of the conveyor and mounted Said posts are horizontal rollers 83. These rollers are spaced such distance apart that as the Jaws 66 of the package holders 64 pass therebetween, the rollers will close the jaws in engagement with the ends of the packages 8|, as previously outlined. Thus, as will be seen, the packages 8| will, as they are brought forwardly by the conveyor l0, be picked up and carried along by the clipping and draining conveyor 44.

Upstandlng at opposite sides of the conveyor ii in spaced relation to the forward end thereof are posts 84 upon which are mounted vertical rollers 85. These rollers are disposed at such a height that, asthe jaws 66 of the package holders 64 pass therebetween, the rollers will engage the outer ends of the toggle bars 69 and swing said ends of the bars downwardly, with the result that the inner ends of the bars will be swung upwardly to effect release of the jaws from the packages 8|, as previously described. Thus, the packages will be automatically deposited upon the discharge conveyor II to be carried oil thereby.

The packages 8i are, of course, spaced along the belt i3 of the conveyor ID to accord with the spacing of the package holders 64 along the drive chain 56 of the clipping and draining conveyor 44 so that as each of the carrier links 51 comes around the sprocket 54, a package will arrive in proper position for engagement by one of the holders. Furthermore, as the movement of the belt i3 is synchronized with themovement of the chain 56 and as only the outer Jaws of the holders will swingacross the belt as the holders come into line therewith, said jaws will pass between the packages without interference thereby. Also, as will be noted, the conveyorslil and [I may, if so desired, be provided with inclined ortions so that the packages on the conveyor ID will be properly fed upwardly and forwardly to be picked up by the package holders without colliding therewith while packages on the conveyor II will be lowered out of the way of the holders.

-As will now be seen, the packages 8| will be fed forwardly by the conveyor ill when, upon passing between the rollers 83, said packages will, as previously described, be picked up by the package holders 64 of the dipping and draining conveyor 44. The packages will then be carried forwardly suspended from said conveyor, after which the packages will then pass between the rollers 85 when said rollers will function, as also previously described, to release the package holders 54 so that the packages will be deposited upon the conveyor ii to be carried oil thereby.

Attention is now directed to the fact that the packages 8| are carried forwardly by the dipping and draining conveyor 44 at a uniform level and that, as the packages travel forwardly, the tank 30 will, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, be raised to dip the packages in the refrigerant 32, when, as shown in Figure 3, the tank will be lowered to permit the packages to drain. As will be perceived, the foregoing cycle of dipping and draining operations will be repeated many times as the packages 8| are carried forwardly by the dipping and draining conveyor 44 so that the refrigerant will be caused to repeatedly flow into and out of the packages, each time replacingwith fresh. cold liquid the volume of liquid within the packages partially heated by the produce. Accordingly, any refrigerant more or less trapped by the produce within the central portions of the packages will sooner or later be supplanted a number of times by fresh refrigerant, with the result that the produce at the central portions 01' I the packages will be chilled equally with the ward and downward movement of thetank, so

that the tank will not interfere with the forward movement of the packages or collide with said packages. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of treating comestibles which comprises introducing said comestibles while suspended from above into a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant, and moving said comestibles through said zone and, while said comestibles are in transit therethrough, alternately raising and lowering said pool bodily and thereby dipping thecomestibles in said pool and retracting the pool sufficiently from its highest points of elevation to permit drainage of refrigeranti'rom said comestibles.

2. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing packages of said comestibles while suspended from abovelnto a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant, and moving said packages of comestibles through said zone and, while said packages are in transit therethrough, bodily raising and lowering said pool in repeated sequence and thereby dipping the packages in said pool and retracting the pool sufficiently from its highest points of elevation to permit drainage of refrigerant from said packages.

3. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing packages of said comestibles while suspended from above into a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant, and moving said packages through said zone and, while the packages are in transit therethrough, bodily raising and lowering said pool in a circular path and thereby dipping the packages in said pool and retracting the pool from its highest points of elevation sufficiently to permit drainage of refrigerant from said packages.

4. The method of treating packaged comestibles which comprises introducing packages of said comestibles while suspended from above into a cooling zone including a pool of liquid refrigerant, and moving said packages through said zone at a uniform level and, while said packages are in transit through said zone, alternately raising and lowering said pool bodily and thereby dipping the comestibles in said pool and retracting the pool suiliciently from its highest points of elevation to permit drainage of refrigerant from said packages.

5. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a refrigerant, a conveyor for suspending and progressing a package of said comestibles in a horizontal plane lying partially within a vertical projection of the tank, and means for raising and lowering the tank to repeatedly dip said package in the refrigerant and drain the package successively..-

6. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a refrigerant, means for suspending and progressing a package of said comestibles in a horizontal plane lying partially within a vertical projection of the tank, and means for moving the tank in a circular path to raise and lower the tank and repeatedly dip the package" in said refrigerant and drain the package successively.

7. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a refrigerant, means for suspending and progressing a package of said comestibles in a horizontal plane lying partially within a vertical projection of the tank, and means supporting the tank and operable to cause the tank to continuously rise and fall in sequence and repeatedly dip the package in said refrigerant and drain the package successively.

8. Apparatus for processing comestibles including a tank adapted to contain a refrigerant,

means for suspending and progressing a package REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 821,503 Keith May 22, 1906 1,940,192 Sorber Dec. 19, 1933 2,256,745 7 Magnuson Sept. 23, 19- L 

